Sidney Lanier Drum Line Making History

GAINESVILLE - Students at Sidney Lanier are making history - and hoping to inspire kids from around the nation as they travel to a state percussion competition.

This drumline will be the first set of students with disabilities to ever travel to the upcoming Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Championship in Daytona Beach.

Each musician in the band knows their beat, and music teacher Don Devito says they hope they can show people that they can keep pace with everyone else - "they learn to adapt. I've had students with autism and people didn't think they could speak and they are singing. They are singing 'we shall overcome' and all kinds of music."

The competition will be this weekend, April 5th - 7th.

Devito says they will focus on positivity before the competition, to avoid any stress.